Alan Turing response

Alan Turing is dubbed by some, “the inventor of software” and his writing, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence,” is seen as his crowning work. In the work, he asks if machines can think. The answer is too complex to explain with just a yes or no but he does agree that machines think or will eventually think by themselves. Although Turing admits that the machines of his day were not advance to get to this point, he predicted that by the end of the century though, it would. Turing also suggested that in the future, the computer or machine would imitate a human mind. The mind would be the mind of a child, since an adult mind is too complex, and the user would teach the computer until the child brain grows into the mind of an adult. He is even bold enough to theorize that the child brain of the computer could act just like a real child.

In the article, Turing also addresses his critics against their objections that computers cannot think. One reason was that humans are the most intelligent of any creature therefore, computers should not be on the level of humans. Another reason was that computers couldn’t learn on their own, while someone else objected that it was against God’s creation. Turing then gives examples to strengthen his argument.

Throughout the article, readers can see the passion and fascinations Turing has with machines. He really believes that one day machines will be able to think and may even be equal to humans. A new century has started but I believe society has not gotten that advance with machines. However, we are getting very close. It is unfortunate that Alan Turing did not witness to see his dream come true.